I arch a brow.
"You're obsessed." She traces the length of my arm again. Carefully. Like she's committing it to memory. "You have a problem."
The door rings. Bouncy footsteps move into the room.
Walker.
"Hey." He greets Ryan then moves into my suite. "We're doing karaoke tonight." He stops dead in his tracks when he sees us. "Oh." It's written all over his face. You're already fucking her.
I nod yeah. "You're late to the party."
He nods to Ryan. Does he know?
"Chloe broke on the cross." I run my fingers through her hair.
She folds her arms. "That's not why he figured it out." Her cheeks flush. "Hey, Walker. You're early, aren't you?"
"My noon asked to come in early." He looks at us like he's assessing our potential. "You really like Dean?"
"Tragic, isn't it?" she teases.
"Yeah." He nods. "But the heart wants what it wants."
Chapter Thirty-One
Dean
Leighton jumps from her spot on the couch. She bounces to Chloe and throws her arms around her. "It's nice to see you again."
Chloe's eyes fill with surprise for a second. She blinks and it's replaced by friendly affection. "You too." She pulls back with a smile. "How is indie design treating you?"
"Good. Tiring." Leighton brushes a purple strand behind her ear. "Let's not talk about work." She looks back to Ryan, who's sitting on the bench next to Walker and Iris. "Let's not talk at all. Yeah?"
"Right here?" Ryan raises a brow.
"Yeah." She hikes her tight black dress, daring him. Fuck, she hikes it far.
His eyes fill with hunger His tongue slides over his lips.
His— Those are details I don't need.
Iris nods hello. "I'm not sure we've met." She stands and offers her hand. "I'm Iris."
Chloe nods. "I've heard a lot about you." She shoots Walker a knowing glance. "Your boyfriend is smitten."
"I'm pretty smitten." Curiosity fills her blue eyes as she looks to me. "It's weird, seeing Dean with someone."
"Oh." Chloe's cheeks flush. "Is that common knowledge now?"
Ryan nods. "News travels fast."
"And it's…" She pulls her arm over her chest. Curls her fingers around her tank top strap. "Is that cool?"
"Dean's in charge of teaching you. It's up to him how he wants to handle it." Ryan lifts his glass—filled with coke, not booze, since this place is alcohol free—to me. "To your ability to take responsibility."
Leighton climbs into Ryan's lap. Runs her fingers through his wavy hair. "Should we really toast to something that doesn't exist? That's bad luck."
"How could you say that, Leigh. I'm as responsible as they come." I press my palm into Chloe's back to lead her to the other bench. It's perpendicular to theirs, but it's opposite the TV. It's a nice spot.
Chloe's posture stiffens as she sits next to me. She looks at the four of them with nervous eyes.
Can't blame her.
They're staring like she's an exhibit at the zoo.
I'm not that much of a commitment phobic manwhore.
No… I am.
But they could be cool about it.
"You guys know you're not gonna see more unless you ask." I nod to my crotch. "I'm always ready for a show."
Leighton rolls her eyes.
Iris laughs. "You're not as bad as I thought at first, Dean."
Walker chuckles. "Sweetness, that was not a good compliment."
"He knows what I mean." She wraps her arms around her boyfriend's shoulder. Rests her head on his chest. "You're actually kind of sweet. Protective." She looks to Chloe. "He's a good guy."
"But how'd you get past his personality?" Walker teases. "Must have been difficult."
"It was. But then I thought about it, and I realized that Dean is incredibly hot," Chloe teases back.
Leighton laughs. "Was that it?"
"Well…" Chloe taps her combat boots together. "I don't want to overshare, but I have to admit—"
"Oh God. I do not want to hear about his dick." Leighton makes a show of squeezing her eyelids together and holding her hands over her ears. "Tell me when it's over."
"It's Dean. It's never over." Ryan nips at her ear.
"Can't believe you thought I was into him." Her eyelids flutter open. She scrunches her nose gross.
"Yeah, wasn't like you two used to flirt nonstop." Ryan shakes his head you're ridiculous. He plants another kiss on his girlfriend's neck, then he turns to Chloe. "He treating you well?"
"Yeah. Surprisingly so," she says.
"Hey," I feign offense.
"Please. You're obnoxious on purpose." Her posture softens. Her voice eases. "You think it's adorable."
I bring my lips to her ear so I can stage whisper. "If you're gonna tell me you don't like it, I'm gonna check."
Her cheeks flush.
Iris laughs. "I have to admit. The Prince Albert thing—"
The door swings open. Brendon steps inside. His gaze goes right to Iris.
Then to me.
He raises a brow really. He's completely unmoved by my bullshit.
Kaylee, his now (finally) nineteen-year-old girlfriend, follows him into the room. Then to our bench.
She brushes her long blond hair behind her shoulder as she settles into her boyfriend's lap. "Dean, there's this idea in writing: less is more."
"Not following," I say.
"Maybe mention your dick less often. So it has more impact each time," she says.
"I get you. I'm making your boyfriend jealous," I tease.
She laughs. "Exactly. How did you figure it out?" She leans in to whisper in said boyfriend's ear.
He whispers something back.
Her cheeks flush.
She's not a blushing virgin anymore.
It was fun for a while, teasing Brendon about how much he wanted her. I pushed him so hard he bet me a hundred bucks she'd never been with anyone.
Asshole really thought I cared if his crush was fucking around.
I guess I did. Just not for the reasons he assumed. I wanted the two of them together.
Whether my friends believe it or not, I want them happy.
I do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Kay and Brendon made it, even if there was a lot of fallout on the path. His little sister, Kay's best friend, freaked about them getting together.
Right on cue, Emma steps through the door. She looks like she's headed to the clubs—dark hair in waves, makeup bringing out her dark eyes and red lips, tight dress, fuck me heels.
Brendon shoots her a really, you're wearing that look, but he keeps his lips zipped. They stay out of each other's business pretty well considering.
Emma surveys the room. Slowly, her gaze focuses on Chloe. "I knew you liked him." She turns to her brother. "Did you know?"
"Everyone knew," he says.
"Everyone?" Chloe bites her lip. "Was it really that obvious?"
"Yeah. You guys bicker like Han and Leia," Walker says.
Iris whispers something in his ear.
He laughs and whispers back. "One more word and I will."
"Right here?" she asks.
"Fuck yeah." His fingers curl into her thigh, over her jeans. "Everyone can leave or watch."
"Can you give them that same less is more speech, Kay?" I ask.
"They heard it." She looks to Emma. Raises a brow.
Emma nods yeah.
They share a knowing look. A we're best friends, we can nearly communicate telepathically look.
"Excuse me. Restroom." Kaylee slides off her boyfriend's lap. She grabs Emma's hand on the way out the door.
"I think she likes Em better than she likes you," I say.
"I hate to agree with Dean, but that was cold." Leighton laughs.
"That's not it," Chloe says. "She's—" Her gaze shifts to Brendon. "Never mind. Girl talk."
"You know a secret!" Leighton claps her hands together. "Damn. Why are we at this all ages place? I can't get you drunk to get it out of you."
"I hold my liquor better than you'd think," Chloe says.
I motion no way.
Everyone laughs.
Chloe swats me.
Walker leans forward to pick up the mic. "Are we gonna sit here or are we gonna embarrass the hell out of ourselves?" He looks to me then to Ryan. "Do your thing."
Ryan and I usually duet a grunge number at karaoke. But that's not what I want to do today.
I lean in to whisper in Chloe's ear. "Come up with me."
"And sing in front of people?" She shakes her head.